The Peru Gazette

From the Adirondack Coast Visitors Bureau

With approval from New York State and the Clinton County Health Department, the City of Plattsburgh and Adirondack Coast Visitors Bureau, a division of the North Country Chamber of Commerce, was happy to host the 2020 Bassmaster Elite Series on Lake Champlain last weekend. Despite the limitations and change in structure because of the COVID-19 Pandemic, this event, which in normal circumstances brings $1.5-$2 million to the host community, still was estimated to have an economic impact of $750,000-$1,000,000 – a nice impact on our community in a time when it is needed the most. 

Along with the monetary impact it brought, all 4 days of the Elite Series tournament was broadcasted live on ESPN 2, ESPN 3 and Bassmaster.com. Coverage like this showcases the area to a much broader market, which will in turn have a future impact of new visitors wanting to explore the beauty of the Adirondack Coast and Lake Champlain. 

The tournament could not have gone off as successfully as it did without the work and support of: 

 Representative Elise Stefanik – helped to obtain the OK from the State of Vermont to fish in Vermont waters on Lake Champlain without triggering Vermont state quarantine requirements. 

 Clinton County Health Department and Empire State Development – gave support and guidance through the safety planning process, aiding in testing requirements, answering questions and more. 

 Plattsburgh Boat Basin – for providing space for the event and staffing support when needed. 

 Bassmaster Organization – for going above and beyond following the guidelines set by the state, while keeping the health and safety of our community top priority. 

“The Bassmaster Elite tournament was a thorough success in every respect, starting with safety and then including the quality of the competition, the national media promotion which you can’t put a value on and bringing some much-needed business at a challenging time to our hotels, campgrounds and restaurants,” states Garry Douglas, President of the North Country Chamber of Commerce. “Most of all. it was a tribute to North Country partnership with everyone collaborating to guarantee a wholly safe and successful event, including Clinton County and the County Health Department, the City of Plattsburgh, the outstanding team at Bassmaster, our partners at the state and the Chamber’s Visitors Bureau staff, among others. Congratulations and thank you to all involved.” 

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About The Adirondack Coast Visitors Bureau, a division of the North Country Chamber of Commerce was established in 1994 as the official tourism promotion agency for the travel and tourism industry in Clinton County, NY. Based in Plattsburgh, NY, the Adirondack Coast Visitors Bureau contributes to the county’s economic development and quality of life by promoting the region as a destination for leisure and group travel with a particular focus on history, agriculture and outdoor recreation including cycling, paddling, fishing, boating and skiing. For more information about Clinton County tourism, please contact the Adirondack Coast Visitors Bureau at 518.563.1000 or visit our website, goadirondack.com. Follow the Adirondack Coast on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.